Anyone not taking meds...by choice?

Posted by Tom on October 20, 1999, at 22:58:14

I'm curious about one thing. I've been visiting this site for more than a year, writing from time to time, and haven't encountered anyone who is suffering from depression, not taking meds, and has no intention of taking any. The reason I ask is that I'm one of those people. Don't get me wrong. I've taken alot of medication. All with no success. I've also had alot of adverse reactions which have left me completely gun shy about medicine. So I'm moving forward with everlasting, unmedicated hope. I go to psychotherapy (delayed grief reaction-left me seriously depressed for last 2 1/2 years) with the hopes that my depressive grief will lift on its own one day. If I had to choose the chicken vs. egg theory about depression (i.e. biological vs. pure psychological) I would have to "choose" psychological. I know what caused my depression. It didn't pop up out of the blue. An adverse life event caused my depression. And medicine hasn't helped at all. I know people preach about keeping the faith, you'll find something that works, but I sincerely don't believe this. I hope to heal through the course of time. I will never use the word "cure" for my condition...nor am I ready to use it in other people's cases.

I do take SAMe, the only thing that I can tolerate. It helps with my symptoms. But I have hope for a more holistic intervention (finding myself again and holding on to that "self" forever).

So...am I alone in my views? Can anyone see empathy in this situation? Or am I just being terribly naive?